I
thought I could cope with "Lockdown", "Self isolation", "Shielding" and all that. I even imagined that I was becoming old and wise enough
not to end up falling down the same damned rabbit holes again..?!
Please can I apologise to all those that I have let down, or given good cause for grief. Not just recently, but from well before then as well?
Neither rattling phobias nor failing physical health are sufficient excuse, but when considering how much enforced extra time has been available I really am quite disappointed at the rather slow progress achieved with
anything, let alone this otherwise foolish, but completely absorbing project!
Anyway, there are at least some images and stories to catch up with...
Here are a few more "holes" that (some tediously) needed filling in... While others might provide a bit more fun and games:
Rattling also where the running plates!
Despite great care having been taken with their fit, daylight was on occasion still visible 'tween plate and frame. Worried that the plates were a also a little prone, I considered that the model would definitely require a minimum of six small brackets, three per side, applied for additional strength and rigidity...
However, wiggly rivetted angle there should be, so would of course have there to be !
This was the only way I could see to achieve it at the time though !
Strips of paper held and marked over the frames to form templates gave some assurance that I was cutting in more or less in the right place.
Nearly, but not quite there yet with the bends on this first one...
Better the second...?
My last remaining usable oddments of either 15 x 20mm and 20 x 20mm angle were just a tad over size, so would not fit behind the steel expansion joints.
A little nibble in the ally would do the trick - and hopefully remain unobserved in the shadows !
Short sections cut from the 20 x 20 might have just fitted after shaping up to fill the curvy gaps? I know, but as previously mentioned, my stock was getting low...
So I resorted to slicing some ply instead:
The slightly peculiar geometry came as quite a surprise, and I must confess that it took me far too long to assure myself that it was indeed perfectly correct before committing myself to that lower cut ?!
After an 'ellava lotr' drillin' n' fillin' for a load more pretend rivets that are yet another mixture of round head, countersunk, machine and wood screws, I finally completed one side...
All the right sizes, but not necessarily in the right order...!
A really good slosh of thick and gooey black - the more coats the merrier - would do quite nicely ?!
Incidently, I recently discovered a genuine, 1913 dated, Horwich Works loco paint schedule which stated that; Frames, wheels, smokeboxes and chimneys were to be finished with one coat of "Drop Ivory", and two coats "Japan Black".
The latter is a bitumen based, corrosion and heat resistant finish that I guess was a sort of old fashion version of "Hammerite"?
... Tin hat on...!
A peculiar mix of matt and gloss Humbrol will suffice; when I eventually manage to get hold of some of the large tins at the proper RRP., rather than what appear to be Covid excuse/supply and demand prices being charged recently !!
... Tin hat still firmly on and trench dug...!
Will I ever learn...?
Then after a quick swipe of mostly matt to prime and check:
Never did get that bend quite right under there, but remarkably no daylight shows through and even better still; the entire structure is pretty much bombproof !!
Pete.
Hello Pete
